Control
by sadokachan
Summary: SasuSaku ;; Sasuke always used a navy paperclip, never silver, and wrote his signature in black ink, never blue - that is, until Haruno Sakura walked in with her neon green post-it notes, pastel suits, and all-to-perfect adaptation to his unchangeable routine.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything.

**title:** routine  
**type:** one-shot  
**pairing: **SasuSaku  
**prompt:** tumblr...  
**dedication:** y'all who still read my crap lol

**note: **shit, i realized there's another story called 'routine' on here, so I changed it to 'control' to avoid confusion. you should read theirs too - it's really good. (:

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**Control**

**One-Shot**

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Every week was the same routine.

At exactly 6:23, Uchiha Sasuke would wake up and lay in bed for exactly two minutes before his alarm ran at 6:25. Shutting it off, he would remove his sleepwear and begin working out for exactly an hour. At 7:30, a ten minute shower would follow his workout, a quick breakfast of toast, eggs, and a tomato, and he was out the door by 7:58; a two minute descend from the penthouse to the garage would follow, not stopping at any floors. At exactly 8:17, Uchiha Sasuke would ascend up the floors of the elegant and beautiful Uchiha Corporation buildings and begin working no later than 8:30. He would leave at exactly 8:30 every night, unless it's Friday where he has a weekly family dinner at the Uchiha Manor, then he would leave at 5:30. He worked everyday, except for Sundays, where he would spend the day reading, and then engage in a phone call with his mother, asking about her week.

Sasuke always stapled in the top left corner of all his file, and if he used a paperclip, it was navy, never silver. His signature was always written with a black pen, never blue, and he never dotted his i's. His tie was either black, navy, or stripped black and white, but never any other colors.

Sasuke liked routine; it was familiar, comfortable, and organized. He was in control.

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_Sasuke hated it when Itachi meddled into his life._

The moment Itachi walked into his office with the biggest smirk of all times, Sasuke knew he might have to punch the living lights out of his brother. On the scale of the Uchiha smirks, it was a "I-am-going-to-ruin-your-life" smirk.

"I picked out your newest assistant. Father believes as CEO, it would benefit you, in ways more than one, and lessen the work load."

Sasuke frowned.

"I prepped her. Don't worry - you'll _love_ her."

The connotation of that statement worried him, and his lips marred into a thin line. "Prepped"?

With a wink, Itachi walked out and returned with a woman following behind him blankly. She bowed, and Sasuke observed her curiously. It was obvious to Sasuke she was staring past him and looking intently at the glass behind him. She was a petite little woman; a head shorter than him for sure without heels. A modest pastel green blazer and matching skirt, ending right at the knees, and a white blouse inside. Her hair was kept up in a high ponytail and her face had light make up.

"My name is Haruno Sakura, and I will be your new personal assistant starting today. I look forward to working with you."

She bowed with respect, as her soft, musical voice washed over him.

What Sasuke noticed first were the large green apple eyes she had. They sparkled with life - an offset to the monotonous facade she tried to put on. She was not drop-dead gorgeous, nor was she a show-stopper. Sasuke would describe her as exotic - she knew her body and she knew how to flaunt it.

"Aa."

_But he knew Itachi always picked out the best for him. _

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_Sasuke hated her. _

Each morning, she would arrive a few minutes before him in order to place a cup of steaming cup of black coffee, handle always pointed to the left, on the center of his desk. When she asked him to sign certain documents, she always produced a black pen, never blue, and the paperclips were always navy.

She knew him, his routine, too well.

Within a month, she slowly began bugging him - not with her words, but her actions. Her green post-it notes killed him - those bright, neon green monstrosity.

**Uzumaki-san called during your meeting. He says call him ASAP once you see this.**

**These are the files for the new expansion plans.**

**Your mother asks for your opinion on Friday's dinner menu.**

It screamed against the white and black office he had. It was too unfamiliar.

Contemplating between firing her or adjusting to this habit of hers, Sasuke decided to was more beneficial to just let it slide, just this once. She was, after all, one of the most efficient workers he had ever had.

_But he knew sooner or later, she would be a part of his life. _

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_Sasuke hated her facade. _

She was the epitome of the worker he always wanted, and always finished her morning jobs an hour early. At 12:06, during her lunch break, she would call someone on the phone and talk for 15 minutes. It was then her facade would shatter and she would let loose - a smile always erupted on her face, brightening the uptight aura around her, as her laugh echoed across the floor throughout the call. It would always be the same person - her brother. Or Sasuke assumed by the "Nii-chan" she would call out.

If he was the night, she was like the sun.

Her facade angered him like a sun ray interrupting night. Was he that scary that she couldn't be herself around him?

Whenever they talked, it was strictly business related. They would never initiate any contact besides the one time she tripped getting into the elevator and he placed a hand on her lower back to steady her. A faint blush appeared on her face but she quickly turned around and regained her composure.

Sasuke was not in love with her, but he was curious.

And as they say, curiosity will always kill the cat.

"Haruno. Office." He said through the intercom system.

"Right away."

A quick clacking of heels echoed in the hallway before she stopped at his desk. Today she was wearing a pastel pink attire - the one she wore every Thursday. He took note of that since her job started two months and three weeks ago.

Sasuke nodded at the chair, and she sat down, careful not to meet his gaze. He slid an envelope across the table towards her.

"Paycheck."

"Thank you, Uchiha-san."

Sakura darted her eyes at the paper in an excuse to not look at him, and reached for it. As her fingers grazed it, he jerked his hand back as the paper flew out of her touch.

"Let me ask you something, Haruno."

His tone was curious.

Her tone was shaky.

"Yes?"

"Do you hate me?"

Her large green apple eyes widened and her facade shattered.

"W-w-what?" Sakura spluttered, confusion written across her face. He chuckled at her sudden reaction, satisfied he got something more than the uptight ass she pretended to be. Sakura quickly composed herself, but not before letting out a melodic laugh. "May I ask what brought this on?"

He started at her with the most intense gaze he could muster and she shifted under it.

"Why did you apply for this job?"

Her eyebrows shot up abruptly and she became defensive, words flying out of her mouth like knives. "Excuse me? I don't think my ability to execute this job has anything to do with my application to this job. I do believe my credentials fit the appl-"

"I won't fire you. I am just curious."

"I-"

She looked at her hands sheepishly.

"You're wasted talent. Do you know that? You shouldn't be in an office doing business work."

His gaze was causing her to be uncomfortable and he took pleasure in that. Finally, she spoke.

"I got kicked out of medical school because I couldn't pay the tuition. My father's medical bill exceeded what I could earn as a part-time waitress at the time and I couldn't find an internship." Sakura admitted softly. Her eyes glistened. I passed her a tissue with my free hand. "After my father's death, his gambling debt came into light. My brother is a friend of your brother, and he recommended this job, saying it was a good pay. My brother works two jobs to support us both. I don't want to sound like I'm doing this just for the money - I like working here, but I had no other options and I guess your brother saw my potential when he hired me. The work load isn't bad, and you're nicer than my previous boss. I like it here."

Sasuke looked at her teary eyes, her flushed face, and adverted gaze as he soaked in the information like a sponge.

"I'm not fired, right? I don't want to sound like I'm-"

Sasuke slid the envelope across the table.

"Get back to work."

Sakura looked at the envelope for a few seconds, and bowed slightly. Her posture made her seem shameful, or even scared now. As she was halfway to the door, Sasuke called her out.

"Haruno."

"Yes?"

"Loosen up. I don't bite."

"Yes, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke watched her leave, noticing her steps took a tile each. As she reached the door, he called out to her.

"It's Sasuke, Haruno."

She turned around, her ponytail whipping around her head.

"Pardon?"

"Call me Sasuke. Uchiha-san is too formal."

Her lips broke into a smile. "Call me Sakura, then."

_But he knew he could crack her eventually. _

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_Sasuke hated people changing his routine. _

When he told her to loosen up, he was expecting a few small smiles, a nod here and there, and an occasional good morning. He was not expecting neon green _and_ pink post-it notes, green paperclips on _his_ files, and a steaming hot cup of coffee in a _red_ mug.

"You need to loosen up," she had told him, "routine is boring."

He had frowned and told her he liked it that way.

Sakura giggled and laughed it off, calling him anal.

And he had not mind.

_But he knew, secretly, he liked it._

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_Sasuke hated it when Itachi was right._

"My, my," Itachi commented as he looked at the report in his hand, "this is golden."

Sasuke raised one aristocratic eyebrow and frowned. "Hn?"

"This." He held up the report of the Hyuuga file. Sasuke did not see anything particular wrong with it.

"Our agreement in that contract was written as discussed in the meeting earlier this month, Itachi. Nothing has changed from what you heard. Although Sakura did a particular good jo-"

"Had Sasu-chan fallen for his little assistant?" Itachi asked teasingly, interrupting him suddenly.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows and twitched his lips. "I was commending the excellent job she did on this contract. Nothing more, nothing else."

Itachi chuckled as he got up and placed the file back on Sasuke's desk, skewing the placement just to piss him off. Sasuke twitched his lips in irritation.

"You called her "Sakura" and not "Haruno." And when I said the file was golden, I meant the fact the paperclips were green, _and_ you signed your name in navy."

_But he knew Itachi could read him like a book, even when he can't read himself._

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_Sasuke hated the idea of having a significant other. _

"Haruno."

A few seconds later, a smiling presence entered the room.

"Yes?"

"Sit down."

Sakura was across the room in a few seconds and she sat down, smoothing her skirt as she lifted up her left leg and placed it over her right knee. It was always the left crossed with the right. "If its about the file this morning, I'm almost done. I just need to-"

Sasuke held up a hand and she instantly shut her mouth.

"Do you have plans this Sunday?"

Sakura's lips curved slightly as if amused by the question. "Depends why you're asking..." Sasuke knew she was teasing him.

"I'll pick you up at seven then. Don't wear anything too fancy."

Sakura knew Sasuke wasn't a man of many words - his directness was admired by her. Although it wasn't a question, more of a demand, Sakura looked forward to it.

_But just this once, Sasuke mused, he would toy with the idea of having one. Maybe._

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_Sasuke hated not being in control. _

Especially when it comes to the weather.

The rain pounded hard against the penthouse as Sakura emerged from the washroom, dressed in his old black pullover and his high school sweatpants. She ran the towel through her hair as she locked eyes with the raven-haired male in the kitchen. The clothes were obviously too big for her but nevertheless, she looked beautiful.

Dinner was spectacular - he had picked her up from the apartment she shared with her brother and brought her to a little diner he knew she would enjoy. Sasuke understood she was uncomfortable with the high class restaurants she had been too after many company socials - she liked feeling at home, not feeling forced to dress up. Sakura had let her hair down that evening, curled it actually, and wore a slim white ruffled blouse and jeans. She had laughed, chatted, and even blushed when Sasuke wiped off the pasta sauce on the corner of her lips (although he had no idea what caused him to _that_).

On the way home, the radio station warned of a typhoon warning and they (more like he insisted) quickly decided upon his apartment. Her apartment was simply too far, and secretly, he was wondering if it would even hold in the typhoon.

"I think I'll take the day off tomorrow."

"The great and almighty CEO is taking a day off?" Sakura joked as she sat at the bar in his kitchen. He poured them both a cup of wine. "Was something placed in your food?"

"I think we all should." Sasuke said, taking a sip. "I already sent out emails to all the employees."

She watched him curiously. Within the past six months, he had changed. He was less uptight, for one thing. At first when Itachi told her that the young Uchiha CEO hated change, she decided to test it. She was the perfect assistant - too perfect, Itachi had told her - and it irritated Sasuke. With a few encouragements, she started changing things up, little by little. At times, Itachi would joke about whether she had placed a spell on him, and Sakura would just laugh.

"Sasuke, can I ask you a question?"

"You already did. I don't see what's stopping you."

"Why do you hate people changing your routine?" She eyed him curiously, her green apple eyes sparkling under the dim lights. "Itachi told me I irritated you when I first started working. Apparently he prepped me too well."

He turned towards her, his fingers holding the wine glass lightly. "I hate not knowing what's going to happen next. My routine is my comfort zone. It was," he struggled for the right word, "peculiar to have someone in my zone."

"Sometimes it's good to step out of your comfort zone." Sakura said, pouring herself another glass. She stood next to him and looked up at him, staring straight into his oynx orbs. "You say I may be wasted potential in the business world, but I say you're wasted potential for people. There's more to you than meets the eye - you can offer people so much. I think you're just afraid."

He smirked. "Afraid?"

"Of change." She smiled, the rim of the wine glass nested on her bottom lip. Sasuke found it oddly seductive. "How many women have you ever let into your life?"

"My mother."

"Besides that lovely woman."

"None." He responded without a thought.

Sakura frowned. "You're like the epitome of a sex god to the female population and you've never had a kiss? Sex?"

Sasuke found the comment of "sex god" amusing.

"Never found the need too." Sasuke retorted, snorting. "Seeing the women fawning themselves over my brother told me enough. I found solitude in my routine." He gave her a once-over, "How about you? Any men?"

"I, unlike you, have an excuse." Sakura smirked, finishing off her second glass. "I was busy focusing on my father. I never had time for men until his passing last year." He took her finished glass and poured another cup, and empty the rest into his. "Before that, just my father and my brother."

"You know," Sakura leaned on the counter top, "you're not that bad of a guy. You're accepting to change - you're just not aware of it."

"And you're not the uptight ass you think you are." Sasuke shot back with a smirk. He motioned towards the couch and she followed suit. "What makes you think I'm accepting to change?"

"I broke you." Sakura said confidently, sitting dangerously close to him. She noted the length of his sentences now as he was more talkative. "At this time on Sunday night, you would be calling your mother to ask her how her week was."

Sasuke's smirk broke, and his eyes widened. As he dove for his cellphone on the glass coffeetable, a warm hand placed itself on his cold skin and stopped him.

"Relax. She knows I'm with you."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Why does that matter? You can't just come into my life and think you have any authority on this ground." He sneered, "You're not special - you're just my assistant. You know nothing about my family, or my relationship with my mother. She looks forward to these calls, and I haven't missed a week since I started living by myself. What makes you think she'll think any differently because you're here?"

Unlike the burst of tears Sasuke was expecting, she smiled seductively again and placed her empty wine glass on the table, while the other hand found itself over his racing heart.

"Don't think I don't have any ground in your life." Sakura smirked and leaned forward, as if challenging him, "I can break you, your facade, and your stupid little routine, _Sasuke-kun_."

Sasuke pushed her off violently, but she just settled herself comfortably on the other end. "You know jack _shit_ about me, Haruno."

"I know you well enough to make you burst out on me." Sakura retorted from the other end, snorting. "Whether you like it or not, I'm in your life now, and whatever this thing is between us, I know you feel it too. Don't think I don't feel you checking me out when I leave your office. Your eyes may stay on my face the entire time you talk to me, but I know the moment I waltz-"

Sasuke shut his eyes and grabbed his head with his hands. "You're wrong," he shook his head and glared at her, "you're wrong, Haruno. Stop making things up. You don't know what you're saying. If you're just another fan-"

"Quit playing dumb with me," Sakura's voice rose a few octaves, surprising him, "I know you know what I'm feeling. Look, this is my first time as well, and I'm scared as hell as well, but at least I call it as I see it. Don't think I don't notice when your lips quirk whenever I walk into your office, or the fact you call me into your office to talk about unnecessary things. How about the fact you started touching my hand whenever I give you files? What do you say about that? You hate touching people, unless its for a handshake, and before, you made sure our hands wouldn't touch. Hell, you made sure not to do anything associated with me besides talk to me about work." Sasuke widened his eyes at her observations. "Look Sasuke, I may not know much about relationships, but I'm not retarded. I know I'm not thinking something out of nothing because you're easy to read. You're a straight line, but when you start drawing circles, everyone can see - including me." The last part of her sentence was whispered out, but he heard it.

"Sakura, look-"

"No Uchiha, you look," Sakura stood up, glaring down at him with pink cheeks from her earlier rant, "I don't want to rush anything between us, and I know we just met a few months ago, but I want this," she waved between them, "whatever _this_ is - but I can't just be ignorant anymore, and it's time you face the music. I know I broke whatever comfort you had, but please, that was never my intentions. When I started this job, I had no ulterior motives of involving myself with you, or your money - I just needed a way to pay back what my dad left behind. If you don't want _this_, then I'll leave and we'll go back to a strictly work relationship."

Sasuke let her words sink in for a few minutes, as she began to calm down.

Finally, he stood up, and he reached out like a scared child, taking her hand in his shaky one. She let him pull her towards his chest, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, the other around her neck, and hugged her. It was a little awkward for both of them, but eventually, they relaxed. He didn't say anything - he didn't need too, as Sakura knew, just by his actions. Needless to say, they both felt comfort in the hold, and she wrapped her arms around his torso, breathing into his scent.

"I'm scared." Sasuke whispered shakily into her hair.

"So am I," Sakura laughed into his chest, "I'm sorry for breaking your walls down."

"Don't be."

He pulled her out of his embrace and looked down at those large green apple eyes he knew he'll never get tired of looking at. They both stared at each other for a while before he slowly eased his head down, as if unsure about what, or how, to initiate contact. She pulled herself up, and met him halfway, sweeping them both up in an indescribable bliss. Although their nose bumped, and their teeth clicked, they both knew they would have much more practice in the future. Sasuke lifted up a hand, and tangled them into her silky, but still damp, hair, as he angled his lips against hers. She grabbed his shirt and fisted her hands in them. An eternity later, they broke apart, and Sakura saw Sasuke smile as he placed his forehead against hers.

_But he was sure he didn't mind anymore._

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_"Sasuke-kun, how would you feel about fancying the idea of wearing a **green** tie to work?" _

_"Haruno, **now** you're pushing it."_

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_. f . i . n ._

_:D_

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**I was stuck at the doctor's office and this came up (like seriously, I had two appointments and both took two hours each, just for waiting time).**

**Now, I will see you all in three months. I have school, and won't have time for anything. **

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW, ALL YOU SNEAKY PEOPLE AROUND HERE. I SEE YOU ALL READING AND FAVORITING. SHOW ME SOME LOVE. ): AND CHECK OUT MY OTHER ONE-SHOT, WONDER, WHICH I SPENT AGES, AND AGES, AND AGES ON. (:**

**Peace&&Love,**

**- sado - chan**


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